Financial accountant treasury and tax jobs

Sightsavers is seeking a Financial Controller to provide senior leadership across our global finance function, ensuring robust financial governance, effective controls and high-quality financial management across a complex international organisation.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead the Global Finance Team and oversee key areas including business finance, subsidiaries finance, treasury, statutory accounting, audit, finance systems and continuous improvement. You will play an important role in ensuring that our finance function is well controlled, responsive, efficient and able to support colleagues across our global programmes and operations.

This is an opportunity for an experienced finance leader who can combine technical expertise with inclusive and confident people leadership. You will be able to develop high-performing teams, review and improve ways of working, support change and make balanced decisions that strengthen finance capability and service delivery.

You will bring a recognised professional accounting qualification, senior financial management experience, strong knowledge of financial controls and statutory accounting, and the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to senior stakeholders and non-finance colleagues. Experience of working in a charity, INGO, donor-funded or complex international environment would be an advantage.

Please read the full job description for further requirements.

Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as Sightsavers is unable to provide employer sponsorship for this role.

Sightsavers is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone we work with. Due to the seniority and nature of this role, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake relevant background checks, which may include a DBS check, in line with organisational policy and the requirements of the role.

We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and will provide reasonable adjustments where needed.

To apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal by uploading an up to date CV and answering the job-specific questions. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

We anticipate that there will be a two -stage interview process starting in early September. This will include a role-specific presentation task and the final stage interview will be held in-person at our offices in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Ideally we would like the successful candidate to be in post by Q4 of 2026 and attendance at the annual planning meeting in mid-November would be very helpful.

The Director of Finance will lead on all aspects of the Museum’s financial management, including producing monthly accounts and strengthening internal controls and processes. They will oversee treasury functions, including the management of the Museum’s cash holdings and endowments. Serve as Company Secretary, ensuring full compliance with Charity Commission requirements and the Companies Act.

As part of the Leadership Team, they work closely with our board of trustees to manage the Museum’s finances in line with the forward plan and wider Museum strategies.

Key Accountabilities

• Prepare annual budgets, working with managers to achieve realistic targets and review figures throughout the year.
• Prepare monthly management accounts including cash-flow forecasts for presentation to the Director and Trustees.
• Prepare monthly management accounts to report and analyse any significant variance between actual and budget result.
• Prepare year-end draft accounts ready for audit and assist the audit team with any queries.
• Manage the Finance Team.
• Organise and oversee the daily and monthly accounting procedures in respect of banking, cash handling, data entry, bill payments etc.
• General financial and business management as well as co-ordination of Museum affairs including Investments, Banking, Legal, and Insurance, Contracts, Licence Agreements and other associated matters.
• Provide the accounting function for fundraising projects including Heritage Lottery, Arts Council, other grants and any other fund providers.
• Provide financial and textual information in support of major capital expenditure projects being an active and crucial team member.
• Preparing Month Gift Aid returns and Quarterly VAT returns and providing advice on VAT and Gift Aid or any other tax matters.
• Oversee the preparation of monthly Pension contributions to Scottish Widows.
• Provide statistical information and returns to various local and national bodies.

What you'll bring

Experience:

• Proven experience of leading a finance function at a senior level is essential, along with extensive experience shaping and delivering financial strategy, including budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning.
• Experience of managing partial exemption VAT calculations and compliance is vital, along with a track record of establishing and maintaining strong relationships with auditors, regulators, trustees and external stakeholders.
• We would particularly welcome candidates with experience of working within the charity, not-for-profit, or a similarly regulated sector.

Knowledge & Skills

• You will be an excellent people manager, who has exceptional attention to detail and a robust understanding of accounting principles and practices.
• Able to demonstrate strong initiative and accountability in delivering work to a high standard.
• Knowledge of restricted/unrestricted fund accounting and Gift Aid.
• You will have comprehensive knowledge of the full MS Suite, but will excel at Excel.
• Knowledge and experience of using Iplicit and Sage accounting and payroll is preferred.

Qualifications

• A fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is partnering with Robertson Bell on a retained basis to recruit a Director of Finance on a permanent basis. This is a rare opportunity to join a globally influential organisation at a pivotal point in its growth, leading the transformation of the finance function whilst helping drive the organisation's ambitious mission to eliminate avoidable sight loss worldwide.

This is far more than a traditional Finance Director role. The successful candidate will inherit a finance function ready for transformation, with the full backing of an ambitious Senior Leadership Team committed to investing in modern systems, stronger processes and strategic financial leadership. It is an exceptional opportunity for an ambitious finance leader looking to make their first move into a Director position, whilst remaining close to the operational detail and leading meaningful organisational change.

The role

• Partner with the Deputy CEO and Senior Leadership Team to shape the organisation's financial strategy and support the delivery of its ambitious three-year strategic plan.
• Lead the transformation of the finance function, moving from manual, spreadsheet-led reporting to streamlined systems, efficient processes and insightful business partnering.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and financial planning, including scenario modelling to support significant organisational growth and major international funding opportunities.
• Deliver high-quality management reporting for the Executive Team, Finance & Audit Committee, Board of Trustees and major international funders.
• Lead the production of statutory accounts, oversee the annual audit process and ensure full compliance with Charity Commission, Companies House and tax requirements.
• Develop robust financial controls, policies and governance frameworks that support a growing international charity.
• Manage treasury activities, cashflow and foreign currency exposure across an increasingly global operation.
• Build strong relationships with budget holders across the organisation, embedding a proactive and commercially minded finance business partnering culture.
• Lead, develop and mentor a small finance team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Play a key leadership role in organisational decision-making, helping ensure finance is viewed as an enabling function that supports innovation and impact.

The organisation

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness is the only global alliance dedicated to eliminating the world's avoidable vision crisis. Representing NGOs, professional associations, hospitals, academic institutions, corporations and philanthropies, IAPB works to influence policy, mobilise investment and strengthen health systems across the world.

The organisation has experienced significant growth in recent years, expanding to over 50 staff and securing substantial new investment to support its ambitious global agenda. This includes convening the inaugural Global Summit for Eye Health in November 2026, bringing together heads of government, multilateral organisations and major funders to accelerate progress towards ending avoidable sight loss for the 1.1 billion people currently living without access to the eye care they need.

With strong leadership, genuine investment in organisational development and a culture built around being ambitious, collaborative, inclusive and strategic, IAPB offers an outstanding opportunity to shape both the finance function and the future direction of the organisation.

Essential criteria

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Experience working within an international charity.
• Strong understanding of charity finance, including restricted funding, grant reporting and Charity SORP.
• Demonstrable experience producing high-quality financial reporting, budgeting and statutory accounts.
• Experience improving financial systems, controls and reporting processes.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships with senior stakeholders, trustees and non-finance colleagues.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience developing and supporting finance teams.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to translate financial information into strategic insight.
• Excellent communication skills, with confidence presenting complex financial information to a range of audiences.

Apply now

This is a permanent, full-time position with a salary of £87,000 based on a hybrid working model requiring one day per week in the London office, typically on Tuesdays.

The role offers an excellent benefits package, including a 10% employer pension contribution, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, flexible working, enhanced family leave policies and an Employee Assistance Programme.